Dima's Day Care
Berkeley, CA
To see Department of Social Services records on this facility, click on its DSS Facility License # below.
- Dec 2022: Dima Birch notified us that she closed her daycare in 2020
Playbased Family Daycare caring for 4 mos. - 3yrs. in my home in a peaceful quiet neighborhood in South Berkeley.
We have been over the moon with our experience at Dima's daycare, and we are SO sad to leave! Our daughter started going a couple days a week when she was about five months old, and has continued three days a week until almost three years old (we're only leaving now because it's time for preschool). Dima is such a wonderful, intuitive caregiver for every age and every child's personality, brimming with creativity and love for all the kids. She has a truly magical garden full of flowers, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries and more--she involves the older children in planting, harvesting and caring for the plants, and I can see my daughter's love of nature flourishing thanks to Dima. Dima is also very musical (she's a singer herself), so the children are often singing songs and experimenting with different musical instruments in her warm, inviting home. I've also loved watching the way Dima incorporates various teaching methods into the daycare in a really fluid, organic way (she knows about Montessori, Reggio Emilia and more). She is always noticing and responding to kids' interests, and inventing fun art projects that relate to them and bring them to life; my daughter went through an intense frog/lily pad phase around age 2, and Dima and her assistant teachers created a super-cool construction paper pond complete with paper frogs, lily pads, dragonflies and ducks that the kids helped to assemble. (She'll sometimes take pictures of the kids' various activities throughout the day and text them to you, which is always fun.) I should also mention that Dima has excellent hiring practices when it comes to her assistant teachers; she has always got one to two skilled and friendly caregivers helping her out, and I've genuinely loved all of them (and hired some of them for occasional evening babysitting gigs!)
They serve nutritious snacks every morning, and sometimes do healthy baking projects with the kids; if the weather is nice, they will often take little walking/stroller excursions to parks, playgrounds, farmers markets, or libraries. Dima and her assistants are great about getting the babies and older kids down for naps, too--Dima has over fifteen years of experience working with babies and toddlers, and she's amazing when it comes to dealing with all the various tricky developmental milestones and challenges (teething, etc) that can crop up over time. There are a maximum of six children on any given day, with no more than two young babies. We've enjoyed having the mixed age range; younger kids look up to the big kids, and the big kids help the smaller ones. It's a great, diverse little community of children.
The bottom line: We LOVE LOVE LOVE Dima's Daycare, and feel so lucky that our daughter has grown up there. Feel free to contact me if you want more details!
Archived Q&A and Reviews
July 2013
We would like to recommend the Family daycare our son attends in South Berkeley/Grove Park area, that has a few openings in September. The daycare is run by Dima Birich who has been a wonderful care-taker of our son during his first year. Our son was not an easy baby, refused the bottle and rarely napped longer than 40 minutes. Dima and the one - two helpers on her staff took it in stride. Dima's approach is to work with each baby/toddler as an individual. She would sing and rock our baby to sleep, or walk him around her amazing garden. Dima offers a creative play-based environment in a light filled open spaced setting where the kids can move about freely and there is a big backyard for them to explore and play. Dima cares for 6 babies under 3 yrs. with 2 full time teachers each day. Hours are 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday
sgc
July 2013
Dima's Daycare is a wonderful, home-based daycare for kids from 4 months to 4 years. We've had two kids at Dima's for the past 3 years, and we could not be happier about the time our children have spent there. Dima's house includes a large, naturally lit playroom with lots of great books and stimulating toys, games, and costumes, a small table in the kitchen with small chairs for all of the little ones to eat together, and a fabulous garden with plants, slides, swings, sports, and water games.
Most importantly, all the caregivers are very loving, competent, and accommodating. Our youngest and others are graduating to pre-school in September, and Dima will have a few openings for 2 or 3 year-olds as well as younger ones. Check the link below for more information or call Dima at 510- 548-5568. She is truly the best. https://sites.google.com/site/dimasdaycare/
May 2011
Dima's Daycare is Fabulous!
Dima's Daycare is a wonderful, stimulating home daycare that both of my kids have attended since they were 6 months old. Dima is extremely caring and has always had our kids' best interest in mind. We are relocating and I HIGHLY recommend her! She is currently looking for a part-time two year-old spot and she will have plenty more two year-old openings in September.
Nov 2006
There are openings for big or little kids at Dima's daycare. Our son loves Dima's and we are happy to recommend it. Her hours are 8:30-5:30, and rates are reasonable $55/day. Dima's house is spacious and sunny and she has a gorgeous back yard. My son has really thrived under Dima's loving care. We also like the small number of children and great ratio of care givers to kids. Call Dima directly to arrange a visit. She can pass along my contact information if you want a reference Contact: Dima Birich, 510/548-5568
Oct 2006
Our son's wonderful day care provider, Dima Birich, has openings for a couple of children. She can take a 1 year old child part-time and toddlers 1 to 5 days per week. Dima's daycare is a wonderful place for children. Our son plays happily with the other kids, naps well(!) and enjoys Dima's music and gorgeous back yard. We couldn't be happier with her care. Please call me, or Dima directly for more information. Dima's number is 548-5568
Sonya
March 2006
If you're looking for a family daycare in Berkeley (Ward and McGee), I highly recommend Dima Birch's daycare. She takes no more than 6 children per day and has a few assistants who help her on a rotating schedule. It is an incredibly warm, and loving place. Dima has a fabulous backyard and a safe, clean, toy-filled home. Her hours are from 8:30 - 5:30 (full days only). My son has been with her since he was 1.5 yrs old (he's 2.9 now) and he loves it there. The trend is to enroll kids in pre-school at 2.5, but we decided to keep our son at Dima's for an additional year and we’ve been really happy with our decision. If you want more details, give her a call (548-5568).
July 2005
Dima's Day Care (at Ward and Grant) in Berkeley has an opening for a two-ish year old. My daughter has been there for the last year and is leaving for preschool. It's a wonderful daycare in a lovely home with a beautiful garden. Dima is very intuitive and experienced with this age group (under 3). She takes 6 kids and has an assistant (3:1 ratio). They have a fun and appropriate routine that kids adjust to quickly. Definitely check it out. Contact: Dima, 548-5568
Jan 2004
Dima's Daycare in Berkeley has a few openings--I highly recommend you call Dima if you're looking for a small family daycare for infants or toddlers. Dima and her assistant Laura treat kids as individuals; they're great about searching for what works for each kid, from eating and sleeping to saying goodbye. My son has learned so much there--from painting to some really great social skills. They play music, read lots, and take the kids on outings to the library and to parks. It's always joyful at Dima's. Feel free to email me if you'd like more information, or call Dima directly. Contact: Dima Birich, 510.548.5568
Katy
Nov. 2003
My daughter has been with Dima Birich's home based daycare for about 6 months now, and she loves it! Dima and her assistant Laura are loving and attentive. Their sweet dispositions rub off on the kids who I often see hugging each other and who always seem to get along.
The kids are usually involved in a cool project - baking, crafts, trips to the library or the farmers market, but they have plenty of time to just play too. Dima only takes 6 kids at a time. Legally, she doesn't have to have an assistant, but Laura is great, and 2 adults insures the one-on-one attention that I want my daughter to have.
Snacks are nutritions, and they are open to cloth or disposable diapers. The kids are diverse racially, and range from babies to 3 years old. The age range is a plus for my daughter who is 14 months and loves watching (and copying) the older kids.
Give Dima a call while she still has some space, or contact me if you want to talk. Contact: Dima Birich, 510/548-5568
Fiona
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